Is there population explosion in the Philippines?

According to experts in the Philippines, the country is on the verge of population explosion with Filipinos reaching 94.01 million by the end of 2010. This is up from last year's 92.3 million.

More than half of the people are below 24 years old, which means that population growth will continue in the next 50 years.

Debunking some myths about MRI and CT scan

This short YouTube video disproves the myths frequently associated with scanning procedures like the CT scan and the MRI.

Neuroradiologist Dr. Brian King debunks some of them.

1. The radiation in MRI is harmful.

2. Getting a full-body MRI scan will ensure you are healthy.

3. People with tattoos cannot be scanned.

4. Today's scanning machines are only good for detecting problems.

A cardiac load meal

It's the greasiest sandwich ever. Take the plunge on this super heavy jumbo sandwich filled with all the goodness of cholesterol, salt, sugar, fats and everything that's truly satisfying. Make sure to check your weight afterwards. 


Watch the YouTube video below.

Manila pipeline leaks identified

After four months of leakage, at least five small holes were identified in the 40-year-old Batangas-Manila pipeline on Monday.

What is the deadliest animal in the world?

It may be humans, but won't admit. Instead they made a list as shown below.

Watch your caffeine intake, a man dies of overdose

Is coffee your basic drink? Then read this.


Caffeine has been suspected in the death of a 23-year-old British man, who was reported to have overdosed on caffeine powder he bought on the Internet.

Daily ogling at boobs prolongs life

A rather odd research in Germany suggests that men who stare at well-endowed women's breasts is good for health and prolongs their life.


Dr. Karen Weatherby, author of the study, says that staring at women's breasts is a healthy practice, which is similar to an intense exercise that prolongs the life expectancy of a man by five years.

Things to remember when going to cemeteries

Here are some health tips to consider before you embark on a journey to the cemeteries to visit loved ones, according to the Department of Health's Dr. Eric Tayag, head of the National Epidemiology Center.


1. Bring food that will not spoil easily.
2. Carry an umbrella not only for sun and rain protection but also to shoo away stray dogs.
3. Carrying  small children to resting places will make them vulnerable to contract diseases due to overcrowding or congestion.
4. Limit the time spent in cemeteries to ease overcrowding.
5. Make sure to have a caretaker if an elderly will visit cemeteries.
6. Do not wear slippers to avoid catching leptospirosis in case rain occurs.
7. Do not eat street foods to avoid diarrhea and food poisoning.


Safety tips for people going to cemeteries 

By Jocelyn R. Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:04:00 10/31/2010

Filed Under: Public Holidays, Health

MANILA, Philippines -- Bring food that will not spoil easily. Carry an umbrella not only for protection from the sun or a sudden downpour but also from the stray dogs that roam the cemetery.


These were among the tips given by the Department of Health (DOH) to the millions of Filipinos who would be trooping to cemeteries to mark All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.


Dr. Eric Tayag, head of the DOH National Epidemiology Center, said people should avoid taking their babies or children to the resting places of their loved ones as they would be vulnerable to diseases in hot and congested conditions.


"Bringing small children to memorial parks would also mean bringing in strollers, which could only add to the congestion in the cemetery," Tayag told reporters in a briefing on Friday.


He added that families should limit the duration of their visit to ease overcrowding, particularly in small cemeteries. "Please don't bring the whole kitchen with you as this would add to the congestion and slow down traffic flow inside the cemeteries," he said.


For elderly people with disabilities or a medical condition, Tayag offered this suggestion: Just light candles in churches instead of flocking to jam-packed cemeteries, which might worsen their condition.


But should they insist on going to cemeteries, they should at least have a companion to watch over them, he said.


Tayag warned the public against buying food from ambulant vendors as these may carry disease-causing organisms that could trigger diarrhea andfood poisoning, among other illnesses.


Tayag said that if families wanted to eat in the cemetery, they should go for hot meals to minimize the risk of eating spoiled food. They must also bring their own drinking water, he added.


"It is also advisable to bring umbrellas [for protection from the sun and rain]. It is also a handy device to shoo away stray dogs in cemeteries," Tayag said.


The health official advised people against wearing slippers as rains could spawn floods or puddles which, according to Tayag, could contain the bacteria, which may cause leptospirosis, a life-threatening disease commonly transmitted in floodwaters tainted by the urine of infected animals like rats and dogs.


Leptospirosis is contracted by the entry of contaminated water through the mouth or cuts in the skin.


Tayag, meanwhile, announced that all state-runhospitals nationwide had been placed under "code white alert" starting on Monday until Wednesday in preparation for any medical emergencies.


Medical teams were also ready for dispatch, he added.


In a statement, Health Secretary Enrique Ona explained that a white alert signified the readiness of hospital manpower like general and orthopedicsurgeons, anesthesiologists, internists, operating room nurses and ophthalmologists, among others, to respond to emergencies.


The Health Emergency Management Staff operations centers would also be on active surveillance on Monday and Tuesday to monitor any health or health-related emergencies nationwide, he added.


"The DOH is really hoping that the commemoration of All Saints and All Souls' Day will be peaceful, orderly and safe with the public following our tips and reminders," said Tayag.

Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20101031-300762/Safety-tips-for-people-going-to-cemeteries

Sniff-controlled wheelchairs coming soon

Paraplegics and quadriplegics may soon enable themselves to become mobile using wheelchairs that they can maneuver easily by sniffing.


Thanks to Israeli scientists these low-tech wheelchairs will set the handicapped free.


One sniff to go forward, two sniffs to on reverse direction, one sniff out tells the wheelchair to go left, one sniff in to turn right. It's easy!


Watch it in action below.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/video/science-15749654/sniff-to-steer-nose-aids-wheelchair-navigation-22564314

Robots successfully removed lung tumors

Two high-tech operations that use robots were successfully performed in Singapore that marked a first in Southeast Asia.

The removal of lobes of lungs, or lobectomies, which uses robots enabled surgeons to successfully remove early stage lung tumors from two patients.

The state-of-the-art operation have been carried out with success at the National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) since August.